The Life and Times of the Crew of the Enterprise
by Zabby Perno
Summary: Inspired by a challenge on the KS Archive. 99 snippets of the lives of Jamie T. Kirk and her crew. This is how the learn to grow and love and lose. Not in chronological order.


A/N: On the KS Archive, there was a challenge given to use 99 SAT words in a fic. I just went about it differently. These are about Jamie Tiberia Kirk and S'chn T'gai Pock. I'm borrowing them from an RP I'm currently involved in where I play Jamie Kirk. Currently, we're looking for a few more people, so if you're interested in a gender-bent RP, send me a message or let me know and I'll point you in the right direction.

All these take place in the same universe, but aren't necessarily in the correct chronological order.

* * *

**Abate**

It was six months after Gabrielle died and five after meeting their opposite gendered counterparts that Jamie realized that she was in love with her first officer. It took another six months for her to realize that her feelings for Pock had yet to abate.

**Abdicate**

Jamie took a deep breath, and let it out noisily. Her First Officer, whom Jamie was completely in love with, sent her a concerned look. "In full irony of the situation, I am handing control of this mission to Commander Pock. I am emotionally compromised by the mission at hand."

Everyone on the bridge was staring at her. "I abdicate," she said slowly.

Polina Chekov looked at her like someone had kicked her cat Latke. Hiromi Sulu was sitting there, looking like she was wondering who she could run through with her sword. Nick Uhura sat there, hat tilted over one eye, giving Jamie a look that read something along the lines of "Why are you giving up your precious chair?"

The only two on the bridge who weren't shocked by this pronouncement were Leona McCoy and Pock. The CMO and XO exchanged what could only be considered a worried look. Pock finally stepped forward. "Understood, Jamie."

**Aberration**

_You are worthless. An aberration._ Vulcans did not dream. However, Pock was not fully Vulcan. Her eyes snapped open, a mere two hours after settling down beside her bondmate to sleep.

"Pock?" Jamie asked sleepily, rolling over. "Wha's wron'?"

"Nothing is 'wrong', _ashayam_," Pock said, attempting to hide the strain their most recent mission had been putting on her.

This seemed to wake Jamie up even more as she propped herself up on her elbow to look at her bondmate. She sent a prod down their link, and Pock felt a wave of pride that Jamie was able to manipulate their bond so. "Bullshit." She searched for the information in Pock's welcoming mind.

She came across the image of T'Pronn standing in the rec-room of the _Enterprise_, telling Pock that she was a worthless aberration. "Wrong. That Vulcan bitch in sheep's clothing is fuckin' wrong. You aren't worthless. You're the fucking most important person in my life and on this entire ship."

She didn't let Pock speak, only attacking her mouth with her own, determined to prove her words with actions rather than more words.

**Abstain**

It wasn't like they hadn't gone without sex before, Jamie thought a frown playing her face. However, Pock was sitting on the other side of their room telling her that they couldn't even fucking kiss unless they wanted Pock to jump her and not get bonded for another seven years. Well, Pock's words were actually, "We must abstain from all forms of physical contact, because as I enter Pon Farr, I will not be able to control my desires. We must wait until we reach New Vulcan."

Jamie _hated_ abstinence.

**Adversity**

Archer glared at the other admirals in the room. They didn't realize the adversity that Jamie Kirk and the crew of the _Enterprise_ had face in the four months that they'd been on their five year mission. "No, you will not be separating the best command crew since Daniel and Christine Pike," he said quietly into the suddenly silent room.

**Aesthetic**

Pock sat in deep meditation, meditating over what her Captain meant to her. Yes, her Captain had a certain aesthetic quality about her. Jamie's eyes were like the ocean she had almost drowned in as a child. Her golden hair was soft like the silk fur of a kitten. Through searching her own mind, she came to a startling conclusion: Pock was in love with Jamie Tiberia Kirk.

**Amicable**

"I hope we can make this an amicable parting," Pock said, as Nicholas Uhura stared back, eyes wide in shock and mouth pressed in a thin line.

Nick stared for a few minutes before letting lose a short burst of falsely cheerful laughter. "Yeah, amicable. Yeah. Okay." He took a deep breath. "I… I need a few days, Pock. I do want to be friends again. I care about you very much, but right now? This is just too awkward. Please."

Pock looked over her now ex-partner. "Very well. Live long and prosper, Nicholas."

**Anachronistic**

The year was 2013, and somehow, Pock and Jamie found themselves there looking for Leona McCoy. The only thing helping them survive the era was Jamie's complete love of all things history. As well as the help of a man known as Edward Keeler. Pock looked around their two-room apartment, with all its anachronistic technology, and wondered briefly how her mother's race had managed to move past this at all. It was then Jamie walked in, talking on a mobile like she used one every day. She waved at Pock, smile on her body, and set the groceries down on the counter, continuing to chatter away with Edward.

**Arid**

Jamie staggered back into Bones as the warm, arid air on the planet's surface hit her. New Vulcan was just as hot as Vulcan-That-Was had been. She watched as Pock bit back a grin and relaxed just that tiny amount that never left her shoulders, no matter what Jamie did to help her First release that tension.

She made a mental note to buy more tank tops and shorts so she could raise the temperature in their quarters. If it was the warmth that helped her lover relax, then fuckitall, she could deal with a little heat.

**Asylum**

Jamie and Pock (though she would never admit it) were slightly shocked when the two people dropped to their knees in front of them. The red-headed Orion woman, who reminded Jamie of her friend Gale in Engineering, opened her mouth and said, "Asylum. We are begging for asylum from the Orion Syndicate."

Captain Kirk tilted her head. "Let's get you two back to the ship, and see what we can discuss."

**Benevolent**

Nicholas Uhura rolled his eyes as the priest of the religion laid a marriage blessing upon his Captain and First Officer. The priest didn't seem to realize that the 'couple' he was so benevolently giving the blessing to was no closer to figuring out their feelings for each other than Dr. McCoy and Nurse Chapel were to stop hitting each other on the back of the head. Nick rolled his eyes again.

Really. And girls thought _men_ were the stupid ones.

**Bias**

Joanna Darnell rolled her eyes at her Mama and Aunt Jamie, who stood in the corner arguing with hushed words and pointed fingers. She'd seen her father do worse with his girlfriend of the month. She was seated on a bio bed. The eleven year old watched as her stepfather shook his head and went about taking the young girl's temperature. Chris grinned, and finished taking her readings with the tricorder. It wasn't her fault that she hadn't informed her mother or aunt that she had developed an allergy to strawberries last summer. It wasn't even Aunt Jamie's fault that she remembered JoJo's favorite cake when she was a little girl was strawberry shortcake. And honestly, it was due to her Aunt Pock's quick thinking, using the EPI-pen that she kept on her at all times for Aunt Jamie, that she was able to breath again as soon as she had.

Chris helped her off the bio bed, glancing over at the two women still in the heated debate. "Come on," he said, smiling at her. "Let's leave them to their arguing and let me take the prettiest woman on this ship back to our quarters and we can watch a movie."

JoJo sighed. "You're just biased," she said, crossing her arms. She followed her stepfather out anyway.

"Look at you, busting out the big words. And of course I'm biased," Chris said, a serious look on his face. "You're Leona's daughter, therefore you're a part of her. That means I'm always going to care for you no matter what happens, okay?" he said, dropping down to get a better look at her.

She tilted her head, the last bits of doubt about the man disappearing from her mind. "Does that mean I can call you Papa? Because I already have a Dad."

Chris's smile could have melted Delta Vega and left it a tropical resort. "Of course."

**Boisterous**

The first year of their five-year mission, while stressful at times, Pock realized, was probably one of the best years of her life. Her older self smiled at her after the whole incident with the Andorian who was really an Orion spy. "If you had to chose one word to describe each individual person on this ship, what would it be? Hiromi."

"Protective," Pock answered immediately. It was true. The only person more protective of Polina Chekov than Hiromi Sulu was Jamie Kirk.

Old Pock's eyes smiled. "Dr. McCoy."

"Cantankerous."

"Polina."

"Boisterous." And this was true. The ensign was the happiest person on the ship. She was the brightest, the most bubbly. However loud she got with caffeine was of no consequence because they were always able to put out the fires.

"Nicholas."

"Dependable." According to Jamie, it was a miracle that she and Nick had stayed friends after their breakup. Pock knew that she could depend on Nick to help her out whenever she needed it.

"Scottie."

"Engines." That one needed no explanation.

"Jamie."

"T'hy'la."

**Brazen**

"You're a brazen, shameless hussy!" her stepfather called after her. "Fucking all those boys in town! Don't know why you wouldn't put out."

Jamie held her head high as she stalked away from the house and life that had almost ruined her. She called over her shoulder, loud enough for the county cop who Frank had called to hear, "I'd rather be a brazen, shameless hussy than a pedophile."

**Brusque**

When Komack's face appeared on the screen, Jamie was taken aback. "Sir," she said evenly, "I was given to think that Admiral Archer would be contacting me."

"Admiral Archer has better things to do that to deal with you," Komack snapped. Pock stiffened. Jamie wanted to sigh.

While the old man was brusque and harsh, there was no doubt in Jamie's simplistic little brain that Jonathan Archer truly cared for her and the crew.

Komack glared at her. "Now, what's this about you and Commander Pock informing Starfleet of your change in relationship?"

**Camaraderie**

Bones silently offered Jamie the drink, toasting. Jamie lifted the glass and sighed. This day would always bring painful memories, no matter what happened. But what Bones was able to give her was something completely different. She gave her a sense of what it meant like to have a sister. It was a sense of familial camaraderie that helped her get through the anniversary of the Tarsus IV Massacre every year.

**Canny**

Lieutenant Commander Molly Scott looked over at Jamie Kirk, who was working with Ensign Polina Chekov on the computer system, showing her how to program something. Scottie only hoped Jamie wasn't going to do something awful with that programming. She turned to Keenser and murmured, "That lass has a canny know-how with computers and programin'."

**Capacious**

Sarek would never admit it, but he believed that Captain Kirk was good for his daughter. In many ways, she reminded him of Amanda. As such, when Jamie and Pock informed him that they were marrying after the human fashion, he did the only logical thing he could.

"He sprung for our honeymoon suite?!" Jamie looked at her wife and gaped. She stood in the center of the room and turned slowly to take it in. The room was light, airy and capacious. If Jamie didn't know better, she'd say this was a large, upscale apartment in San Francisco.

Pock came up behind her wife, pulling Jamie towards her. "You make me happy in a way my mother made him happy. It is only logical that he extends his gratitude to you for being my life partner."

Jamie turned in Pock's arms, catching her wife's lips in a kiss. "Well, let me show you just how happy I am to be your life partner."

**Capitulate**

Jamie paced Bones' office, not wanting to look out the window at where her best friend was struggling to save her other best friend's life. She finally collapsed into the chair and looked at the ceiling. "Fine," she said to the empty room. Or whatever god was listening. "I give in. I surrender, yield, capitulate, concede, succumb, submit, relent, whatever! I'm fucking in love with my First Officer!"

"Talkin' to yerself is the first sign of madness, Jamie," Bones said from the office door. "But I'm glad to see you _finally_ admitted it."

Captain Kirk completely ignored the fact that she had blurted out her feelings for Pock in front of her best friend, who was totally going to give her shit about it later. No matter, she could tease Bones about Chapel. "How is she?"

"She's in that Vulcan healing trance. Hey, wait, she won't be able—" Bones tried as Jamie ran out. "Idiot captains and their even stupider XO's…" she muttered under her breath, unable to keep the smile from her face.

**Clairvoyant**

Jamie Kirk's ESPer rating was around normal—if not a little high—for a human. But she could not be said to be clairvoyant. So when she started seeing visions of a future that was _not hers_, she did the stupid thing. She kept them to herself. She knew what the visions were. They were from Old Pock, when Old Pock had melded with her on Delta Vega.

However, the visions got so bad she was not able to have them and stay on the bridge for any amount of time. The seizure that had accompanied feeling something—Jamie didn't know what—breaking in her mind was enough to send her brain into shock.

She woke up in sickbay, being called ten kinds of idiot by her CMO. They'd gotten permission to divert to New Vulcan to get Old Pock to take a look at her head and see what she'd accidentally left behind.

Next time she woke up, _her_ Pock was seated at her side, holding her hand loosely while compiling a report with her right hand. Jamie squeezed it and looked at her First in time to see a brilliant smile gracing her face.

**Collaborate**

Nicholas sat across the table from her friend, who looked rather taken aback. "What you are suggesting is down right madness," she said, rather shocked that the Comms. Officer would even think of such a thing.

"Which is why we need to work together. She'll never suspect a thing," Nick said, a smile playing his face.

Jamie Kirk looked at him and grinned. "We can collaborate on this. Besides. Pock needs to be surprised every once in a while."

**Compassion**

Polina Chekov-Sulu was a lovely person, everyone on the _Enterprise_ knew that. What they didn't know was that she was a person who valued compassion. So when she watched Jamie deal with Polina and Hiromi's two-year-old daughter, Angelina, she knew that she had chosen the best person to be in her daughter's life.

**Compromise**

S'chn T'gai Sitara Kirk glared at her mother, who looked like she was ready to pull her greying blonde hair out. "Fine. We'll compromise. You can go to the party." Jamie held up a finger to stall her daughter's cheering. "_But_, we're getting up in the morning and we're flying out to Aunt Bones and Uncle Chris's tomorrow. Joanna even said she'd show you around."

Sitara seemed to think about it. "Fine." And with that, the teen flounced out.

Jamie groaned and her other daughter, Asteria, looked up from where she was curled up on the couch. "This is karma, Mom."

"Don't remind me."

Pock, who was next to Asteria, looked over. "Do not fret, _ashayam_. Sitara will not get into trouble. She knows she will have to deal with you, me, Leona, Chris, Polina and Hiromi." She had a hand on their cat Fishstick. (Not for the first time, Jamie wondered what possessed them to name the cat Fishstick.)

Jamie laughed slightly, moving to sit by her bondmate, feeling better already.

**Condescending**

Captain Gilberts, looked down his nose at the shorter, female Captain. _'She should never have been made Captain,'_ he thought. They were in a joint meeting with Admiral Archer. She saluted Archer, nodded to Gilberts and left, her equally weird First Officer following.

Archer turned his gaze on Gilberts, who finally seemed to realize that he was in big trouble. "And you, Gilberts. If I hear one more condescending word about our best Captain, you will find yourself busted down to Ensign so fast, your head'll be spinning. Got it?"

Gilberts swallowed nervously. "Aye, sir."

**Conditional**

Jamie swallowed her sip of brandy, and looked at Pock from across her chessboard. "Y'know, Pock, everyone deserves unconditional love. Because conditional love just sucks." Maybe she'd had more to drink than was good for her. "Mom loved me conditionally. Because she could only love me if I didn't remind her of Dad."

Pock said nothing, reaching over to move the brandy out of Jamie's reach.

"No one should ever have to deal with bein' loved conditionally," Jamie murmured, dropping her eyes to the board.

**Conformist**

If there was one thing that everyone knew about Jamie T. Kirk, it was that she thought outside the box. She had befriended a cranky doctor, whom almost everyone in the 'Fleet was afraid of. She had bonded to a Vulcan, who was one of the most brilliant women and science officers that Starfleet had ever seen. She had taken a 17 year old Ensign and turned her into the best Navigator and Tactical Officer that the Admiralty had ever had the luck to meet. She had helped shaped an already excellent pilot into an absolutely brilliant pilot and Tactical Officer. Kirk had also taken a renegade Engineer and kept the woman from being sent back to Delta Vega.

Jamie T. Kirk was definitely not a conformist.

**Convergence**

A crossroads.

A convergence.

A meeting.

The first time Leona McCoy met Christopher Chapel, she thought he was just another pretty boy. By the end of their first meeting, she believed he could be a decent nurse.

There were other meetings, other convergences, between the two that ended in Chris getting down on one knee in the middle of their sickbay, asking his girlfriend "of a really long time" to marry him.

**Deleterious**

Pock walked into Dr. McCoy's office, a determined expression on her face.

Leona looked at the XO. "What?" she asked.

"I require a list of the foods, drugs and substances that have a deleterious effect on the Captain."

The look she was giving Pock, Leona knew, had to be great, and she almost wished she had a holocamera on hand for someone to snap a picture of. "Why?"

"Because I need to know."

"Pock, I keep up on it and don't let her eat what she can't. You don't need to know."

"Yes, Doctor, I do need to know."

McCoy shook her head. "You really don't. Now, why do you _want_ to know?"

If she didn't know better, she'd say Pock was getting frustrated with her. "I _need_ to know because Captain Kirk and I are going to a restaurant on the planet's surface tonight, and I do not wish for her to go into anaphylactic shock."

Leona stared. "Wait, wait, wait. _You're going on a date with Jamie?!_"

"I believe that is what I just said, Doctor. Maybe you should get your hearing checked."

After that, McCoy handed over Jamie's list. If Pock was crazy enough to date Jamie, she needed all the information she could get her hands on.

**Demagogue**

Jamie eventually flipped off the holonet, disgusted with the man who was running for the next president. His campaigning office had already called her three times in the past twenty-four hours alone, waking up the baby twice. Pock raised an eyebrow at her bondmate. "You do not like him?"

She shook her head, blonde hair flying into her eyes. "Not particularly. He woke up Sitara twice, trying to get me to go on the camera and support him. Last time I told him to fuck off. He's nothing but a rabble-rouser!"

Pock sighed slightly, knowing that Jamie would never take well to being in the spotlight that being The Savior of Earth and The Kelvin Baby brought on her. "I believe the word you are looking for is demagogue."

The comm. rang again, and somewhere in the other room, Sitara woke up screaming.

**Digression**

It was said, that if you were one of the lucky few to get Admiral Jamie T. Kirk, Commodore Pock and Doctor Leona H. Chapel in the same room at the same time and could keep Pock and Chapel from arguing too much, you would learn more off of one of their tangents than most students learned in all four years. However, Pock would always be the first to come to her senses and say, "I believe, Admiral, Doctor, that our digression has gone on for long enough," and send the student on their way.

**Diligent**

Pock stood in the doorway of the Captain's ready room. Jamie had her back to her, but it was fairly obvious to Pock that she was working on a report in a diligent manner. "Captain, I have the report you requested."

"Yeah, thanks, put it here, I'll look at it in a sec," Jamie said, waving off Pock's words with a distracted wave of her hand.

Pock entered, doing as Jamie asked. She observed her Captain for a long moment before making an executive decision. She left silently, to gain Dr. McCoy's opinion on the matter.

**Discredit**

"What's the point?" Jamie asked, flinging herself back onto her bed. Gabrielle Mitchell sat down beside her, curling up next to her like a cat. "No matter what I do, they just don't listen to me."

Gabby pushed a bit of hair out of Jamie's face. "They're the press, Jamie," she murmured. "You can't discredit all the rumors, no matter what. McCoy was telling you that the other day."

"Yeah, and so was Pock."

Gabby frowned. She really didn't like how often Jamie mentioned Pock, even if she was Jamie's First Officer.

**Disdain**

Jamie sat in her quarters on her bed. She pulled her knees up to her chest. It seemed everything she did was not good enough. The look of disdain on Pock's face as she had to explain something for Jamie for what seemed like the millionth time… It about destroyed her every time. She wondered if anything she did would ever be good enough.

It hurt, seeing that look on a person who should have been her best friend—had been her friend in another universe.

It was more painful than she thought possible.

**Divergent**

If Doctor McCoy and Nurse Chapel had a convergent path, then Pock and Jamie had a divergent path. They met and hated each other. Pock even kicked Jamie off the ship. After the Narada Incident, they worked closely on the ship, but their paths stayed apart. Pock was dating Nicholas Uhura. Jamie was screwing everything she could on shore leave. Then Jamie died, and it seemed like their paths would stay forever different. Khan's blood was used to bring her back. It seemed like that they would start fulfilling their destiny, but fate had other plans. Pock broke up with Nicholas and Jamie started dating Gabby Mitchell.

Ambassador Pock wondered if Jamie and Pock would find the comfort of t'hy'la like she and her Jamie had.

**Empathy**

Sam watched as Jamie sobbed, being held by her bondmate. Something had gone wrong with their pregnancy, and Jamie had lost the baby only two months in. He closed his eyes, remembering when Aurie had lost the first child they had conceived.

A wave of empathy for his little sister threatened to drown him.

Aurie, as if knowing what he was thinking, squeezed Sam's hand and moved to stand next to Jamie. Sam closed his eyes, and wished that things had been different.

**Emulate**

Angelina Chekov-Sulu strutted around, following Jamie for as long as the captain would let her. Hiromi smiled, ducking her head to look at her work. Angelina loved to emulate Jamie, and both her mothers knew that Angelina couldn't find a better person to imitate than Jamie Kirk or Pock.

**Enervating**

What felt like a lifetime, happened in less than a day. Leona had seen people die in her line of work. It was part of being a doctor. She had seen her dad die and the cure found a month later.

But nothing had ever been as draining, as enervating, as seeing her best friend, the woman she loved, dead on a bio bed.

**Ephemeral**

It was during a meld that Pock found out. She jerked out of the meld, and saw Jamie, white and pale. "Pock… I'm—"

"We will speak of this after the mission, Captain."

However, the mission ended with Jamie in the sickbay with Dr. McCoy not letting anyone see the Captain.

After that, Pock realized that Jamie was avoiding her. This furthered the proof in her eyes.

Eventually, Pock cornered Jamie in her office. "We need to speak, Captain."

Jamie's face drained of blood. "Pock, I'm so sorry, I never meant for you to find out. Really, I… I'm sorry. I mean, I hope we can still be friends. I love you, but you don't have to respond. You're my friend and I don't want to ruin that."

"Your feelings towards me are ephemeral, then?" Pock asked, a sinking feeling in her stomach.

The captain shook her head, eyes wide and so very, very blue. "No!"

Pock blinked, reached two fingers out to Jamie, and let her respond. Jamie looked up at her First and smiled.

**Evanescent**

Intellectually, Pock knew that, in Vulcans, colors were the first to go, and were the most evanescent of their memories.

After one hundred years, she had forgotten the colors of the quarters that she and Jamie had shared upon the _Enterprise_.

One thing she would never, and could never, forget was the blue of Jamie's eyes.

The blue of Jamie's eyes would haunt her every dream until the day she died and joined Jamie in the afterlife.

**Exemplary**

Asteria walked calmly into her parent's office, who both worked from part time for Starfleet. Pock was the first to notice her daughter's presence. "Yes, Asteria?"

Jamie looked up over her reading glasses—cheaters, she called them. "What is it, 'Ria?"

She handed over the letter that was illogically written on old-fashioned paper. She handed it to her _ko-mekh_ first.

It was from the NVSA.

_S'chn T'gai Asteria Kirk,_

_We are contacting you to let you know that you performed in an exemplary manner on your admissions test to the NVSA. We invite you to come before the board for an admittance interview._

_Please respond at your earliest convenience,_

_The Admissions Office of the NVSA_

Jamie's screech of delight was heard throughout the house.

**Extenuating**

Jamie stared at the screen, and Old Pock stared back. "So you mean to tell me, that my First Officer is going to go into heat, and therefore potentially die if she doesn't get to fuck someone?! Why the fuck am I just hearing about this now?!"

Old Pock flushed a pale green. "There are… extenuating circumstances. 75.643% of the Vulcan population under the age of 100 has entered pre-mature Pon Farr. Since Pock does not know about it, I felt it was prudent to inform both you and her of the circumstances so you would not be caught, as you would say, off guard."

Jamie sighed. "So basically, it's fuck or die?"

Old Pock was definitely an emerald green at this point. "Essentially."

"Thank you. I have a First Officer to talk to. And she has a very angry girlfriend to deal with right now. Kirk out."

**Florid**

Daniel Pike had forced her to come to the winter ball, during a time when they played ferry for some people who wanted admission into the Federation. The dress she was wearing was rather modest by her tastes, but still showed a lot of skin, especially for winter time. She looked over at her First Officer, who was wearing conservative Vulcan formal wear, as was fitting for a Vulcan of her status. Despite that, Jamie had a hard time keeping her eyes off of Pock.

Beside her, Leona rolled her eyes. "You actually gonna tell her, or just stare at her all night?"

Jamie blushed, a florid color staining her cheeks. "I… I'm not going to tell her anything, Bones!"

Leona rolled her eyes, taking another sip of the Champaign being passed around the room. It would be better for everyone when Pock and Jamie got their heads out of their asses and realized they were crazy about each other.

**Forbearance**

Polina was staying with Jamie while they were on shore leave on Earth for the winter ball the Academy was throwing. She was the perfect house guest.

The only thing Jamie didn't like was coming home to find a drunken navigator and a drunken helmswoman making out on her couch.

Pock smiled and merely held onto Jamie's arm as the Captain lunged forward to tear the two women apart. "Think, Captain. I believe, that if you leave them as is, and have the forbearance not to punish them, you can… punish them more effectively tomorrow, when they are both hung over.

Jamie thanked every star she had ever seen for her first officer.

**Fortitude**

Daniel Pike glared at Jonathan Archer. "You had to go and question her about that? About being an enabler for Gabrielle Mitchell?" he hissed.

"Yes, I did."

He shook his head. "No, you didn't. You just wanted to see if the public's favorite captain had fucked up that badly."

"No, I did so because I wanted to see how she would hold up under tough questioning. She did so with great fortitude."

"She might have on camera, but I bet you anything that she's sitting in that office, crying right now." Not even bothering to salute, Daniel turned on his heal, leaving Archer to think on how he'd interacted with Jamie Kirk.

**Fortuitous**

Jamie Kirk and Leona Chapel stared in shock at Sitara's left hand while their partners sat beside them in equal shock. Sitara Kirk and David Chapel stood there, nervous as to how their parents would react.

Eventually, both women leapt up and hugged their offspring. David hugged his mother back, making weird choking sounds.

Sitara embraced her mother, tears streaming down her face.

Pock turned to Chris and smiled slightly. "This is a most fortuitous occasion."

Chris smiled back. "That it is, Pock." He got up and wrapped his wife and son in the hug. He pulled back eventually and said, making sure to get Jamie's attention first, "You sure you want Sitara in the family? I mean, her mother did throw a ficus at me once."

"It wasn't a ficus!"

**Foster**

The county police had caught up to her not long after she had tossed that pedophile comment at Frank with the cop that hated Frank the most within earshot.

They had gone with her back to the house to get some stuff, and placed her in foster care.

Mike and Robert Wilson were the sweetest, kindest people and they truly cared about Jamie and the rest of the foster children in their care.

Those were the best years, to date, of Jamie's short life.

**Fraught**

The whole bridge was fraught with nervous energy. Pock sat in the Captain's chair, glaring at the Minister who was hiding Captain Kirk from them.

He shook slightly. "I do not know where Captain Kirk is!"

Pock glanced at Nicholas, who shook his head slightly. "You are lying," Pock said calmly. Inwardly, she was anything but calm.

After five more minutes of the man lying, Pock stood, using the height she gained from standing near sitting people. "You _will_ tell me where Captain Kirk is and what you have done with her."

"They took her to Setialds!" he said, naming a city on the other side of the planet. "Don't hurt me."

Pock's face was cold. "By the time Starfleet is done with you, you will be wishing that we hurt you."

**Frugal**

"You know," Jamie said, voice and face laughing, at the way Pock constantly looked for a better price when they were not hurting for money of any kind. "You're financially frugal. But there's a better way to spell that. C-H-E-A-P."

Pock leveled a not-glare at her wife. "Just because I choose to find a better product for a lower price does not make me cheap."

**Hackneyed**

Jamie turned over on her stomach, draping herself over her lover's body. "You know what's such a hackneyed phrase?" she murmured into Pock's neck.

"Hackneyed?"

"Over-used. Common-place."

"Ah, then no, I do not," Pock said, running her still sensitive fingers down Jamie's naked back.

" 'I love you'. I mean, yeah it's nice to hear the words, but we say it so often that it begins to lose meaning. That's why I like Vulcan so much. You don't say anything in it without meaning it." Jamie yawned. "_Taluhk nash-veh k'dular_," she murmured into Pock's ear.

Pock's arms tightened around Jamie. "And I you."

**Haughty**

Slowly but surely, Pock's looks turned from disdainful to just plain haughty and Jamie wasn't sure which one she hated more. "I mean, who does she think she is?!" she ranted to Sam one night. "To be all hoity toity about shit!"

Sam frowned. "Has she actually said she hated you?"

Jamie put on her best Vulcan impression. "Hate is an emotion. I am Vulcan. Therefore I do not experience this emotion you speak of." She frowned. "I want to be able to like her, Sam, but she's so haughty!"

Her brother wondered if Jamie even knew she had a crush the size of their farm on Pock.

**Hedonist**

Pock bit out a gasp as Jamie's lips tore away from her own to trail down her neck. She knew that Jamie was a hedonist. Everything she did was about feeling good. And sex? Sex with Jamie Kirk felt amazing. She pulled Jamie's head back up, recapturing her lover's lips with her own, tangling her fingers with Jamie's.

**Hypothesis**

Pock had a hypothesis. She had not had a chance to test it, therefore it was not a theory. Jamie Kirk only allowed herself to get close to those she knew would not hurt her. Pock closed her eyes. She only hoped that Jamie trusted her enough to one day let Pock into her heart and mind.

As it was, it was more likely for her to experience her first Pon Farr, whenever that did happen, without the benefit of her t'hy'la by her side.

Deep down, Pock knew that she would not survive such an occurrence.

**Impetuous**

Jamie opened the transmission they received. She was almost glad Old Pock had called when she did, because Jamie and Pock were in the middle of the biggest fight they had ever had as Captain and First Officer—and this wasn't counting the one where Jamie had misunderstood Pock's attempts at joking.

Old Pock looked between the two. "I can call back tomorrow if necessary."

"No, it will not be," Pock said, leveling a not-glare at Jamie. Jamie threw her hands up and turned away, muttering about stubborn Firsts. Pock turned back to her older counterpart. "Did your captain always make such impetuous decisions as to throw herself into danger?"

Jamie turned back, glaring at her First, but interested to hear Old Pock's words. "My Jamie was known for making impulsive decisions, yes. Especially when it saved a crew member."

"See?!" Jamie said. "I do it across universes! Get used to it!"

"However," Old Pock said, cutting of her younger self's reply, "it does not mean that Dr. McCoy or I appreciated it."

This time, Pock just raised an eyebrow at Jamie.

**Impute**

"You attribute my silence to not wanting to speak of what we experienced," Pock said after the initial roar of their argument died down.

"No," Jamie bit out, "I impute it to be because you were ashamed of the emotions you were showing."

The First Officer of the _Enterprise_ took a step forward. "I assure you, that is not the case."

"Oh, so you weren't ashamed that Bones and I came across you hanging from a tree, Spider-Man kissing that Leland dude?!"

"No, I am not. I do not want to speak of it because I do not know what to say on the matter."

**Inconsequential**

Sarek was an early riser by habit. Such was the life of an ambassador. He went through his morning routine, sparing a moment of grief as he always did for his loss of his wife. Even after five years since the destruction of Vulcan-That-Was, Sarek still grieved for her deeply.

He knew his daughter and her partner were somewhere in the house. He did not know if Pock would follow tradition and cook breakfast for her father. However, as he turned to make his way down the stairs, he smelled something that he had only smelled a few times before, when Amanda was particularly homesick.

Jam tarts and pumpkin pastries.

Sarek entered the kitchen so see his only child covered in flour and her partner no better. Jamie, as she insisted that Sarek call her, was giggling uncontrollably. She flicked some dough at Pock, but instead missed her mark. By a long shot.

He looked down to see the dough sticking to his robes. The laughter died down as Jamie stared at him in horror. Pock turned to face him, doing a better job of concealing her dismay. "Father…"

He picked it off his robes. "It is inconsequential." In a surprising show of playfulness, Sarek flicked the dough back, hitting his future daughter-in-law in the face, obtained a still fresh tart, and walked out.

**Inevitable**

The situation, Pock realized, was horrific. A true no-win scenario for any of them. They could attempt to go after Jamie and lose their own lives in the process, or they could leave Jamie where she was and let her to be beaten, raped and to eventually die. Neither situation was acceptable.

So she did what she could. She gathered the bridge crew and Dr. McCoy, and listened to them bounce ideas back and forth off each other.

Eventually, Nick brought up a good point. If they could come at the slaver ship from two sides, they had a chance, with minimum casualties, to get their Captain back to the _Enterprise_.

"After all," Nick said, a gleam in his eyes, "it's inevitable that we go after her, right?"

**Intrepid**

"And look who the cat dragged in!" the bartender in Iowa crowed as Jamie took as seat at the bar. "Our fearless hero!" He pushed her favorite shot over to her. "Your drinks are on the house tonight."

No one officially knew that she had died during the Khan Incident. And tonight, she didn't want to be the 'intrepid hero'. She just wanted to be Jamie T. Kirk, genius repeat offender. She closed her eyes and slammed back her shot. Maybe if she got drunk enough, she could forget that Christine Pike had died, that Jamie herself had died, and that her Chief Medical Officer was never going to let her out of her sight again.

**Intuitive**

Jamie was a person who went with her gut. She wasn't one to sit there thinking things through as her First Officer was. She was a jump in head first, ask questions later, kind of person.

Bones always said she was 'an intuitive shit' and left it at that.

So when her gut began screaming something was _off_ with Pock, Jamie listened to it and had Nick Uhura connect her to New Vulcan right away.

**Jubilation**

The minute it hit November 1st, and Jamie allowed the Christmas music to start playing, a cheer of joy started up around the ship.

Jamie smiled quietly. She'd only ever had a decent Christmas when she forced Bones to do it with her at the Academy. But this? This was the first year of the five year mission. And everyone needed some Christmas spirit.

However, what really made the holiday special for the Captain that year was the quiet jubilation on Pock's face when Jamie handed her the present she had gotten for her on Star Base 15.

**Lobbyist**

Jamie wanted nothing more than to go bang her head on a wall and scream until the _Enterprise_ came back and picked them up. Beside her, given the way his eye was twitching, Uhura felt the same way. The person they were dealing with was basically a lobbyist for that planet's congressional branch. They followed the Old Earth System of a Judicial, Executive and Congressional with checks and balances.

All the lobbyist was, Jamie decided, was a used-hovercar salesman.

She wanted out.

Eventually, Nick stood up, towering over the man. "Excuse me, but would you mind explaining why we care about legislation on _tea_?" he asked, glowering.

"I'd really like to know that too," Jamie said, leaning forward. Not for the first time, she appreciated how much of giant Nick was.

The man stuttered before _finally_ giving them a straight answer.

After the man left, she made a mental note to put a commendation in Nick's file.

**Longevity**

Ambassador Pock closed the hologram Jamie had given her just before going on the _Enterprise-B_. She then looked over at the restaurant where she was to be meeting her younger counterpart and her Captain for dinner.

The amount of time she and Jamie had gotten to spend together was enough to make up for Pock's longevity. However, every time she watched Jamie and Pock together, her heart ached in her side for her own Jamie.

It made her want to weep.

_You once said being a starship captain was my first, best destiny… if that's true, then yours is to be by my side. If there's any true logic to the universe… we'll end up on that bridge again someday. Admit it, Pock. For people like us, the journey itself… it's home._

Pock closed her eyes. _As always, you were right,_ t'hy'la_. We did end up on that bridge again._

**Mundane**

Jamie looked up from her book as Hiromi entered. "Hey," she said, putting the book down. "What's up, Hiromi?"

Hiromi sighed. "Since I can't get hold of Polina's parents to ask them, and you're the closest thing she has to an older sister… I was wondering if I could get your blessing to ask Polina to marry me." She saw the look on Jamie's face and continued. "I know what you're thinking, and I'm going to ask her whether or not you give your blessing or not. I'd just like to know that someone who cares for Polina approves of me asking."

The Captain laughed. "Actually, I was going to ask how you were going to ask her."

Sulu frowned. "I was… Traditionally I guess."

"Well that's mundane."

"What do you mean?"

"You guys met during a crisis. You started dating after she decked you in a club. If you ask her traditionally… I don't know, that just seems… dull to me."

Hiromi started to look nervous. "So how do I ask her?"

"Not after sex."

**Nonchalant**

After he and Pock broke up, Nick tried his best to act as if he didn't care. He noticed that whenever he was with the rest of the bridge crew, Jamie's eyes would land on him and narrow as if trying to figure something out.

It wasn't until they were on the Enterprise for a five year mission that Jamie finally wormed her way into his trust enough for him to tell her. "It was always really awkward after Pock broke up with me."

Jamie frowned. "Given how everyone was acting, I thought you broke up with her."

Nick shook his head, trying very hard to act nonchalant. "Nope. She broke up with me."

There was a moment of silence as Jamie poured them another shot of tequila and pushed over the salt and lime wedge. "Here ya go." It was obvious that she knew he wanted things to go back to normal, and normal right then meant taking another shot.

**Opulent**

The dressed Pock picked out for the wedding was rather plain, Nick decided, but it was gorgeous on her. He was honored she had picked him as her Man of Honor.

However, when he took his place at the front of the congregated people, he looked back and saw Jamie for the first time. Her dress was beautiful, but not overly opulent.

What made both women breathtaking was the way they looked at each other as they glided up the isle together.

**Orator**

Jamie played with Pock's hair where it flowed over the bed onto her side. "What is it about us getting into a debate that causes you to jump me?" Jamie murmured, burying her hands into her lover's hair.

Pock didn't answer for so long, Jamie thought she must have drifted off. "You are an excellent orator," she answered eventually.

The unexpected words pulled Jamie out of a doze. "Hmm?"

"Your orating skills are exceptional. It illogically arouses me."

Which of course, brought on round two.

**Ostentatious**

It was obvious to Leona that the planet they were on appreciated being showy. She knew Jamie didn't mind showing off, so she wondered who would try to out-show each other more.

However, when they got into the palace, she was immediately reminded of some palaces on Earth, but it was even more ostentatious than anything she had seen there.

She leaned over to Chris. "Does this remind you of anything?"

"You mean Versailles?" he murmured back. "Yeah."

"Hell, I thought the French were showy."

**Parched**

There was nothing better, Jamie decided, than a cold glass of water after a hard away mission. She had been parched. She would have had a glass of bourbon, but she knew Pock would be showing up later and she didn't want to be sloshed.

She sat down at her terminal and began typing up the condolence letters.

They were never easy to write.

**Perfidious**

Pock sat at Jamie's bedside. She had just come from watching Khan be placed in cryo-sleep again. Khan was a perfidious person, and Admiral Marcus should never have woken him. She realized that. Her older self was on her way to Earth now, to visit Jamie once she woke up.

Dr. McCoy walked in. "Still here, Pock?"

She checked her internal clock, and realized she had been there for six hours. "Obviously, Doctor."

"Damn hobgoblin."

**Pragmatic**

Along with being dedicated, Pock realized Jamie was a very pragmatic captain. She dealt with her crew realistically and fairly. And for that reason, the crew looked up to her. Jamie T. Kirk might have a temper, but she was sensible and had a good head on her shoulders.

That was why Pock was confused whenever Jamie professed to needing help from anyone.

She could only hope that she did not come across as disdainful towards her Captain. It was only later that Nicholas informed her that she did come across as have something better to be doing than providing assistance to the Captain.

**Precocious**

By the time Jamie was 12, she had been in and out of therapy more times than she could count. After driving her Dad's corvette off the cliff, some of the therapists had called her impossible. Others called her insane and untreatable. Other still just labeled her precocious.

Jamie always rolled her eyes at them. However, the ones that labeled her precocious were the ones that lasted the longest.

When she turned 16 and got out of that house, it was the guys who called her precocious were the ones who lasted for more than two seconds. It quickly turned into her favorite word.

However, it was Pock who was the person who traded out her favorite word for a new favorite… T'hy'la.

**Pretentious**

There was one thing that pissed Admiral Jamie T. Kirk off more than anything else. It was the assholes who thought they knew better than she did. The captain of the _Obama_ who had just signed off…

Her assistant poked her head it. "Admiral, your wife is here," the kid said.

"Send her in."

There was a pause before Pock came in. Jamie said fuck you to decorum and wrapped her arms around Pock. She could almost feel Pock's eyebrow raise as she hugged Jamie back. "You are distressed."

"Not distressed so much as pissed."

"May I inquire as to why?"

"Pretentious assholes."

That was all the explanation Pock needed.

**Procrastinate**

There was one thing, and one thing only that Leona McCoy hated about Jamie Kirk. It was the fact that she put everything off 'til the last minute and still got a perfect score on whatever it was.

"So I procrastinate," Jamie said, shrugging. "Big freakin' deal."

But it was a big deal. It was also how Leona knew whenever Jamie was going off to have sex with some random person.

**Prosaic**

T'Pau walked up to her grandson, who was observing Jamie and Pock interacting with their crew in Sarek's garden. "Why did thou allow thy daughter to choose such a prosaic mate?" she asked softly so Pock's sensitive ears could not hear.

"Captain Kirk is anything but pedestrian, _ko-mekh-il_," Sarek said, voice harsher than he intended it to be. "She did everything in her power to rescue Vulcan-That-Was."

If she were human, T'Pau would have sniffed. "Very well. I shall continue to observe her, and then come to judgment."

**Prosperity**

It was late at night, or early in the morning, Jamie couldn't tell. She'd woken up from another nightmare. She hated this time of the year, because she could never get the image out of her mind. Her mutters and moans from the nightmare had pulled Pock out of her meditation. She lay in her lover's arms, shaking silently as Pock trailed a hand down her back.

The prosperity of Tarsus had quickly gone down hill after Jamie got there to stay with her aunt and uncle.

Eventually her mind wandered to the Vulcan holding her and the phrase "Live long and prosper". It was obvious what it meant. But why did a race that were so logical wish someone who they could possibly hate to do well?

She decided it was weirdly worded and attempted to fix it.

Getting the jist of Jamie's question through her skin, Pock murmured, "We tell each other 'live long and prosper' because even if we do not like them, there was always a chance that they would be killed in the next battle. It is almost like the old Earth saying, 'may the odds be ever in your favor'."

Jamie nodded, understanding at least a little bit. She quickly dropped off again. The nightmares didn't disturb her the rest of the night.

**Provocative**

When they finally got to the slaver ship, it was clear that they would be freeing a lot more than just Jamie. Pock and the security team that had beamed over with her took care of the slavers who were in their sight.

It took a while with several beam overs for prisoners they had come across, but eventually Pock entered a room that held several chains to hold someone prisoner, as well as a sling-like hammock and several other items that the Vulcan did not like the sight of.

But the best sight of all was her Captain. She stood in the center of the room, wearing a provocative outfit. A corset showed off Jamie's natural curves and matching underwear highlighted everything about her. The heals made her taller than Pock It left very little to the imagination, but just enough to get even Pock thinking.

"Oh, thank fuck! Now get me out of these chains so I can go home!" Jamie said, a grin on her face at the sight of her First Officer and a security team.

**Prudent**

"I'll post on the 'net whatever I fucking want to!" Sitara said, voice raised and arms crossed.

Jamie shook her head. "I don't think you realize that what goes on the 'net stays on the 'net. People don't want to hire others who post political shit or stupid shit they do on vacation._ Especially_ underage drinking. It's prudent to think of the future!"

Sitara rolled her eyes. "Now you sound like _ko-mekh_," she ground out, throwing her hands up.

"Good. Your _ko-mekh_ is someone to look up to and admire. You know this. Now, you're going to delete those pictures. Also, you're grounded for a month."

"Mom…!"

Jamie cocked her head to the side. "Want to make it two?"

"Fuck you!"

"It's two. Next time, think of what you're posting before you post it."

**Querulous**

It became obvious when Sitara was five, David Chapel was four, Asteria was two, and Regan Chapel was two, that the most argumentative of the bunch was Sitara. Maybe it was because she'd grown up watching her mom and Auntie Bones bicker all the time, and maybe it was because she saw her mother and _ko-mekh_ fight, but the girl could argue and fight with the best.

And when she couldn't win, she turned into a whiney, querulous little brat.

**Rancorous**

There were many words that could be used to describe Nero, Nick decided, watching the Vulcans who had managed to survive the destruction of their home planet. Some of them were curse words in the various languages that Nick knew.

But one seemed to fit the best and that was from Standard… Nero was rancorous. From what Nick had seen, the man was hardened and embittered.

It was a tragedy that he had managed to destroy an entire planet in his hatred of one a single Vulcan.

**Reclusive**

There was an observation deck that wasn't even used for the occasional romantic rendezvous because all it had was a shitty view of the nacelles. In fact, there were only three people who had ever swiped into that room: Jamie, Scottie and Keenser.

It had been a horrible mission. It had to do with a genocide that reminded her far too much of Tarsus IV.

She sat with her back to the corner, eyes kept sweeping across the room. For a second, she was back in the cave on Tarsus.

A gentle knock at the door pulled her from her memories. "Captain?" a familiar voice asked. "May I enter?"

Jamie started again at Pock's voice. She should have realized that telling her First about Tarsus so soon after dealing Karidian and then this genocide… Well, Pock would try and find her the second the mission was over.

"Yeah."

The door slid open. Pock moved to stand in front of her in parade rest. "May I sit, Captain?"

Jamie nodded, grateful that Pock was treating her like normal.

"Being reclusive is not needed when you are among friends," Pock murmured a few moments later. "Polina is worried that she cannot find you. Hiromi is attempting to keep her calm. I do not know how successful she will be. Even Dr. McCoy requested my help in searching for you."

Jamie snorted. "Yeah, well, I'm fine."

"Lying is not needed among friends either," Pock murmured, tentatively placing her hand on Jamie's.

The Captain turned her head to her First and smiled slightly.

**Reconciliation**

The two women stood on opposite sides of their quarters, glaring at each other. Jamie threw up her hands and said quietly, "Fuck you," and walked out.

Immediately, Pock regretted the harsh words that had flown between them. She instinctively reached out for her girlfriend, who had already left.

It was two days before Leona locked Jamie and Pock in her office, declaring that the two needed to kiss and make up.

A few more harsh words were exchanged, before Pock spoke up quietly. "If we cannot attempt a reconciliation in our personal relationship, Captain, we must still endeavor to fix our professional relationship, so this does not effect the crew."

Jamie blanched. "You… you really think we can't fix this?" she asked, voice shaking.

Pock took a step forward. "No, _ashayam_," she said, unconsciously reaching towards Jamie. "I believe we can."

Jamie's face, still pale at the thought of them breaking up, held a shaky smile. "Good. I do too."

**Renovation**

Jamie looked at the wall that she wanted to knock down in their home. She glanced at her bondmate as she hefted the hammer. "Ready to start?" she asked, an excited look on her face.

"Yes."

Jamie turned to Scottie, with whom Jamie had worked with tirelessly to figure out what she wanted. "Aye, lass!" Scottie said, a similar look on her face.

Jamie hit the wall as hard as she could, before stepping back to let Scottie take a swing.

It wasn't that bad of a wall, just a stupid place to have one. The kitchen, Jamie had decided, needed to be open and airy. It needed to be somewhere Jamie could cook without feeling like she was trapped.

Which was the only reason Pock had agreed to let Jamie and Scottie anywhere near her house with hammers.

It took several days, but eventually, between Scottie and Jamie, the whole kitchen had been replaced, upgraded, painted and had a new floor.

Even Pock had to admit, the kitchen fit the feeling of the rest of the house, and it reminded her that the house was also Jamie's.

The renovation made the house feel like a home.

**Restrained**

Pock wondered what was it about Jamie that caused all the native species they came across decided they liked her captain so much that they either contemplated kidnapping her or actually kidnapped her. She turned to the village leader. "Where is Captain Kirk?"

"Kirk Captain here not," the chief said.

Next to Pock, Dr. McCoy rolled her eyes, borrowing one of Jamie's favorite phrases. "No shit, Sherlock," she muttered. "Fuck, I need a drink."

Pock did not state her mind on Dr. McCoy's words. "We realize that Captain Kirk is not here. Where did you take her?"

The chief's head feathers twitched, and Pock glanced at Nick, who shook his head at Pock. "You are lying." Pock felt like she'd had this conversation.

"Kirk Captain communing with gods."

She closed her eyes against the emotions rampaging through her.

"Take us to her."

When they got to the temple, the first thing Pock noticed was Jamie's wrists and ankles were bound. "You are restrained."

"No…" Jamie said, sarcasm lacing her voice. "Really? I had no fucking clue. Now get me out of here!"

**Reverence**

There was something special about the way Pock touched her, and Jamie liked it. She continually craved Pock's hands on her, in either a sexual or non-sexual way. It was one of the things that clued her into the fact that Pock was in a league of her own and Jamie was blessed to have found her.

Pock desired Jamie's touch. Even when they were on the bridge, Pock craved her. The carefulness of her touch left nothing to be desired.

It was some time later that they both realized they touched each other with reverence.

**Sagacity**

Sarek was the youngest Ambassador to Earth, and he showed a surprising sagacity for his age, other Vulcans decided. However, that was before he married a _human_. It always amused him that for a people who practiced _infinite diversity in infinite combinations_, that they could be, in his wife's words, 'such biased pricks!'

After Vulcan was destroyed, he was raised back to a wise figure, given that he and Amanda had been the first to deliver a successful half-human half-Vulcan daughter.

However, Sarek would give all that up if he had a moment more with his wife.

**Scrutinize**

Jamie shivered slightly under Pock's intense gaze. It was almost enough for her to cross her arms in front of her chest. "Do you have to stare?" she muttered.

"I apologize," Pock said, eyes still drilling into Jamie.

She glared slightly. "You don't have to scrutinize me," she said, voice huffy as she moved a chess piece.

Pock's eyes smiled as she held out her fingers for the ozh'esta. "I was not attempting to, t'hy'la," she murmured.

**Spontaneous**

"C'mon!" Jamie called, running up to her girlfriend, shoes off and hair falling out of her braid. "Let's go!"

"Go? Go where?" Pock asked, rising off the bench in the park she had been reading on. She had been under the assumption that Jamie was off with Leona discussing her and Christopher Chapel.

"There's a play on the other side of the park! You said you'd be here, so I figured we might like to see it! Bones and Chris are holding a spot for us!" she said, eyes shining.

Pock tilted her head. It was like Jamie to choose to be romantic at a spontaneous moment. "Let us go," she said, a smile in her eyes.

Jamie's grin lit up her face, as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss Pock. She turned and took off, throwing a flirtatious look over her shoulder. "C'mon! We don't want to be late!"

**Spurious**

Pock closed her eyes and slipped into meditation. Dr. McCoy insisted on keeping Jamie in Sickbay overnight for observation to make sure that there were no lingering effects from Janice Lester taking over her body and switching their minds.

She did not know how she had missed the fact that Jamie was no longer in her own body. Everything about the imposter now seemed spurious. Pock did not like the fact that she had missed it completely.

Rising from meditation, she realized Jamie would most likely be sleeping, and decided to go sit by her wife's bedside. Arriving in sickbay, the on-duty nurse pointed her in the right direction. She found her wife sitting up in bed, eyes skimming a PADD. It was obvious she was reading. "Hi," Jamie said, smiling. Pock felt a brief pang of anger at herself before pushing it away. "I can't sleep and I refused the hypo."

"That is illogical," Pock said, holding out the ozh'esta.

Jamie brushed her fingers along Pock's and shrugged. "I'm illogical."

"That is not the only reason."

"Yeah, well…" Jamie shrugged again. "I don't want to see a hypo right now. That's how she managed it."

Pock was quiet, suddenly understanding Jamie's reluctance to take a sleeping hypo.

"Will you sleep with me?" Jamie asked suddenly after a few minutes of silence. Without words, Pock slid into the bed next to her wife. Both women fell asleep within minutes.

When Dr. McCoy came in to check on Jamie the next morning, she smiled, shook her head and muttered, "Pair of idiots, the both of them."

**Submissive**

When you get two alpha females in the same room, sparks are bound to fly. Everyone knows that. They also know that when you get them in a relationship, things are bound to happen.

Neither one of them was particularly submissive, leading to some very rough sex that had Dr. McCoy on their cases. Neither ever wanted a repeat of that lecture, but they got it at least once a month.

However, when one of them did submit, there were ropes and gags involved. Jamie and Pock hated those lectures especially.

**Substantiate**

"But you have no _proof_," Nick said, voice harsh. He only wanted Pock to see how much danger Jamie was in. "There is no _proof_ that Jamie didn't eject the pod when we were at yellow alert!"

"However, Lieutenant," Pock said, voice cool, "we know that Captain Kirk did not eject the pod. She has kept her head in worse situations than an ion storm."

"Be that as it may, you can't substantiate your claims!" Nick clenched his fist. "Just… Go be with Jamie, play chess, do whatever."

Pock's head tilted. "Chess… That is it. Thank you, Nicholas." She swept out of the room, and Nick understood why Dr. McCoy was suddenly fond of calling Pock a hobgoblin.

**Subtle**

Pock settled into meditation. While getting better at reading humans, she still had issues reading all of Jamie's tells. Some were easy to read, such as anger and fear. Others still were harder. Much harder.

Some of the looks on her face were not easy to read. Pock sighed. As much as she loved her Captain, the woman was impossible. In every sense of the word. While she was not a delicate person, she could very much be discreet when she wanted to be.

Her flirting was as loud and crass and as wonderful as Jamie herself.

What pulled her out of her session was the fact that, subtle or not, Jamie was perfect in every way she could be.

**Superficial**

Jamie looked down at her stomach where she was bleeding out. "It's… It's just a flesh wound," she said, face white.

Leona was applying pressure to the wound as hard as she could. "Flesh wound my ass."

"Captain," Pock said, tearing strips her undershirt to hand to Leona, "your wound is not as superficial as you would like to believe."

"It's… it's a q-quote… from an… an old movie…" Jamie gasped out.

"Dammit, Pock! Call for a beam up!"

"I am attempting to, Doctor."

"Do it sooner rather than later, Pock, or we're going to lose her!"

Jamie gasped, coughing.

"Pock to _Enterprise_, come in _Enterprise_."

"_Ay…tt…re._"

"Three to beam directly to sick bay."

The golden light formed around them, causing their bodies to dissolve.

**Superfluous**

One tear trickled down Jamie's face, as she looked across the room at her girlfriend. "You are not unnecessary! Never think that!"

Pock shook her head slightly, still in parade rest. "Compared to the captain of the ship, and given my duties as First Officer, I am superfluous."

"_No_!" Jamie snapped, slamming her fist down on the table. "That is a fucking lie and you fucking know it! I can't believe that you actually think that!"

"It is only logical—"

"Screw logic! Goddamnit, Pock, I fucking love you and if I lost you, I don't know what I'd do!"

It seemed as if all the air was sucked out of the room with those words, as Jamie realized this was the first time she had ever said them.

**Surreptitious**

At first, Leona could do nothing but stare at the box Jamie had pushed over to her. "You aren't… You are!" she said opening the box. Inside was a plain white-gold ring with a diamond set into it, so it wouldn't catch on anything. A chain was in there too, incase Pock didn't want to wear it on her finger.

"I am."

"How are you going to ask her?"

Jamie shook her head. "I don't know."

"Well, you'd best ask her soon, because you are the worst secret keeper I have ever met."

"Oi!"

Three weeks had passed since that conversation. Jamie had to keep moving the box to keep Pock from finding it.

Pock finally cornered her in the lift one afternoon as Jamie was fingering the box in her pocket. "You are being surreptitious, and hiding something from me." Jamie watched as Pock drew a deep breath. "If you are terminating our relationship—"

Jamie's eyes went wide. "No! How could you think that?"

"I have observed that many humans in relationships they did not want to remain in become secretive and deceitful. If it pleases you, I will have my belongings out of ou—your room by the end of beta shift."

The blonde haired woman dropped to her knees. "No, Pock…" she pulled out the box and flipped it open so Pock could see. "I was trying to figure out how to ask you to marry me."

There were several moments of silence as Pock reworked all that she knew around this new fact. It all made sense: how tense Jamie had been, the looks Leona had been throwing her way, the secrets…

"I accept."

**Tactful**

Chris watched as Leona tore an ensign to shreds for failing to follow standard operating procedure in the Engine Room. He knew that once Scottie got her paws on him, the ensign would be wishing he were back in Sickbay with Leona.

"Fuckin' Ensigns always harming themselves," she muttered walking away. Out of the corner, she watched the kid try and scuttle away. "Nope! Back on that bed 'til I say you can go!" she yelled.

"You, my love," Chris said as they entered her office, "are not a very tactful person." He pulled her into a hug and kissed her temple.

"Yeah, well, you only have to kiss some scrapes and bandage the booboos," she muttered, already relaxing in his arms. "I don't have time for tact."

Chris chuckled and tightened his arms around her slightly. "And I wouldn't have you any other way."

**Tenacious**

There were only a few people who thought highly enough to call her names for her own good. The first was Christine Pike, who called her a genius repeat offender. Well, that was kinda true. The next was Bones, who called her idiot, moron, kid, kiddo… Jamie could go on for weeks. Both of them called her tenacious, which she always grinned at. Bones would continue on with how stubborn Jamie could be. Jamie called it will-power. Bones called it stupid.

The third was Pock. She didn't call her any of those that Pike or Bones did. She called her t'hy'la.

**Transient**

Between her 18th and 22nd birthdays, Jamie was constantly on the move. She moved all over Iowa and most of the mid-west. She never stayed in the same place for more than two days. Except when she was in Riverside, watching the _Enterprise_ being built. She knew one day… Well, she didn't want to go there, not with her life the way it was.

But she longed for something more. Something permanent.

Maybe that was why she accepted Pike's challenge. Why she took the Kobayashi Maru three times. Why she met Pock.

She found the permanency she was looking for in Pock, and she loved that half-human half –Vulcan with all her heart and soul. She knew Pock knew that she was the reason Jamie had stopped her transient nature.

**Venerable**

Sitara sat down across from her mother, and smiled. "Oh look. The venerable admiral came home to play."

Jamie gave her daughter a blinding smile. "Hush, brat. If I'm venerable, I'm wise. And if I'm wise, I'm old. And I am not old. Besides. Your Aunt Bones is older than me. As is your _ko-mekh_."

Sitara threw her head back and laughed. "I love you too, Mom."

Jamie drew Sitara up into a hug. She felt Pock in the back of her mind sending happiness at the mental image of them together. She led her daughter over to the couch. "You do know that we're happy for you, right, 'Tara?" Jamie asked, squeezing her daughter's hand. "For you and David? And that your _ko-mekh_ and I couldn't be more proud of you."

"I know, Mom," Sitara said, smiling widely, pushing her hair out of her eyes. "I know."

**Vindicate**

After Pock proved—with chess!—that Jamie was innocent, they retired to Jamie's quarters aboard the _Enterprise_. They played a celebratory match, in honor of the way they'd won.

"Why did you do it? Logically, I did push the button too soon. So why vindicate me?" Jamie asked, playing with her queen.

Pock pondered what she was going to say, recalling the conversation they had had soon after the death of Gabrielle Mitchell. "Because, logically, I knew that you would not have launched the pod without giving Finney ample notice. Additionally, you said you did not. Therefore, it was logical to believe you and not the logs. Logs can be changed. A person cannot."

Jamie smiled brilliantly. "Well, thanks again, Pock."

**Wary**

There was one thing Jamie didn't like, and it was the physical act of sleeping next to someone she didn't trust. She and Bones had slept in the same bed, but only because of necessity. She trusted her best friend.

So after she and Pock started up their sexual relationship in tandem with their romantic relationship, Jamie made sure to keep their sexual activities to Pock's room so she could escape as needed.

It was two weeks later that Pock finally brought up the odd behavior. "You need not be wary of me," she said. Jamie could hear the hurt there, and strove to fix it.

"I know," she murmured. "It's… irrational. Illogical, even. I can't sleep next to someone. I can fuck 'em, sure, but sleep next to? Not so much."

"What would help you get over this fear?"

She shrugged. "I don't know."

"Gradual acclimatization?"

"I… Maybe."

Pock nodded. "We will start tonight."

As promised, they did. After sex, Pock refused to let Jamie out of her arms for a few minutes, laying beside her lover, cuddling her.

They progressed well, in Pock's opinion. But it wasn't until Jamie refused to leave that Pock counted it as a win.


End file.
